New COD trustee will be seated Feb. 23

College of DuPage trustees are promising a more public appointment process as they set out to fill a vacancy on their board.

Trustees showed a sense of urgency this week in establishing a Feb. 23 date to find a replacement for Mary Mack.

Mack resigned Jan. 14, citing self-interested and dysfunctional leadership on the board. Legally, board has 60 days to find a replacement.

Trustees set Feb. 6 as the deadline to receive resumes from interested parties. The board then would meet in closed session on Feb. 15 to narrow the field to four finalists.

While typical of previous board appointments, it's that selection of finalists that's, in part, drawn some public criticism for trustee selection process being veiled in secrecy.

Faculty Senate President Glenn Hansen encouraged trustees to make the selection of finalists during an open meeting.

That won't happen.

Instead, to help lift the veil, trustees agreed to insert a new public forum on Feb. 23 for the community to hear short presentations from the finalists and ask some questions.

Trustees also will interview the finalists in another closed session, appoint and swear-in the trustee all that same night.

All candidates must be citizens of the United States, at least 18 years old and have lived within the COD district for at least one year. Trustees are expected to prepare for and participate in two board meetings per month.

The vacant seat's term expires in April 2009.

Cover letters and resumes should be mailed to:

College of DuPage, Office of the Secretary of the Board of Trustees, attention: Karen V. Neely, Student Resource Center, Room 2081, 425 Fawell Boulevard, Glen Ellyn, IL. 60137. For more information, call (630) 942-2203.